University of California-Riverside tuition, cost & net price

The sticker price at University of California-Riverside is $38,942 a year for California residents. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,304 on average, and what your family pays depends mostly on income. Choose yours below.

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Yearly household income. Saved on this device only. No account needed.

What your family pays
$14,304 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $38,942. College Scorecard.

Net price by family income

Average after grants and scholarships for California residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard, latest reported year

Sticker price, line by line

Per year, living on campusIn-stateOut-of-state
Tuition & fees$15,606$49,806
Housing & meals$19,433$19,433
Books & supplies$1,748$1,748
Personal & travel$4,934$4,934
Living-at-home adjustment−$2,779−$2,779
Total cost of attendance$38,942$73,142

Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.

Debt after graduation

Median federal loan debt$14,944
Loan default rate2.3%3-year rate, 2017 repayment cohort
Debt as a share of earnings 10 years out22%

College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal

Who gets aid

Students with Pell Grants47%Federal grants for lower-income students
Grants for the average aided student$24,638Sticker price minus average net price

State aid: California residents who meet income, asset and GPA standards may receive a Cal Grant (California Student Aid Commission); apply with the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. At University of California and California State University campuses, the Middle Class Scholarship can also help families with income and assets up to $250,000 (2026-27, dependent students). Not included in the prices above. California Student Aid Commission

College Scorecard

University of California-Riverside net price compared with other California colleges

University of California-Riverside has the 43rd-lowest average net price of 115 California colleges we cover. Schools around it:

RankCollegeAvg. net priceGraduationEarnings, 10 yrs
39California State University-Monterey Bay$13,66359%$59,247
40San Jose State University$13,76069%$78,988
41Stanford University$13,80792%$124,080
42University of California-Irvine$14,25187%$80,735
43University of California-Riverside$14,30476%$67,699
44Rio Hondo College$14,37925%$44,950
45California State University-Chico$14,48063%$64,172
46Bakersfield College$14,62121%$37,291
47University of California-Davis$14,74186%$80,838

College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All California colleges →

Why University of California-Riverside costs more or less than similar schools

SchoolAcceptanceYou'd payGraduationEarnings, 10 yrsPrice gap
University of California-Riverside76%$14,30476%$67,699This school
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona75%$11,53168%$71,902
University of California-Santa Cruz66%$17,89075%$68,396
San Jose State University85%$13,76069%$78,988
California State University-Fresno95%$7,00057%$61,244

College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.

Why the price is different

University of California-Riverside would cost you $2,773 more per year than California State Polytechnic University-Pomona, on average.

  • Higher sticker price at University of California-Riverside, mostly from higher tuition & fees (+$7,826).
  • University of California-Riverside gives aided families $12,214 more in grants, on average.
Per year, California residentUniversity of California-RiversideCalifornia State Polytechnic University-PomonaDifference
Tuition & fees$15,606$7,780+$7,826
Books & supplies$1,748$995+$753
Housing & meals$19,433$16,330+$3,103
Personal & travel$4,934$4,041+$893
Living-at-home adjustment−$2,779−$5,191+$2,412
Sticker price$38,942$23,955+$14,987
Average grants−$24,638−$12,424−$12,214
You pay$14,304$11,531+$2,773

“+” means University of California-Riverside costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.

University of California-Riverside cost questions

How much is tuition at University of California-Riverside?

Tuition and fees are $15,606 a year for California residents and $49,806 for out-of-state students.

What is the total cost of attending University of California-Riverside?

The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $38,942 a year for California residents living on campus and about $73,142 for out-of-state students.

What do families actually pay at University of California-Riverside?

After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,304 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $8,852; $48–75k pay $13,111; $110k+ pay $30,393. These figures are for California residents.

How much debt do University of California-Riverside graduates have?

The median federal loan debt at graduation is $14,944, and 2.3% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).

Is University of California-Riverside the right fit for your family?

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to University of California-Riverside overview